Love Never Fails
by flowerpower1234
Summary: Sportortacus and Stephanie as seen from Ziggy's point of view. The second part of the story is the future of Lazytown after the fact. It might be sad to read for some people, so be warned.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR - This is my first and only piece. I wrote this for myself because I felt it needed to be written. I will probably not write anymore because I enjoy reading them way too much and this took away too much time from my reading. The first seven chapters is the main love story from Ziggy's point of view. The last 2 chapters are about the future of Lazytown characters after the fact. It should be stated that there are some Christian themes and ideas used in here, but I used them only because they are what I know best. The themes could have just as easily been portrayed with virtually any other religion. I also apologize for chapters not all being the same length. I began a new chapter when I felt it appropriate, not according to size. More notes at the end.

Standard disclaimer: I don't own Lazytown or the bible.

The day was bright and sunny, as were most days in Lazytown. Pixel, Stingy, Trixie, and Ziggy were playing outside on the tire swing when Stephanie and Sportacus came along to join in. Ever since the new additions to the local elementary school playground had been put in, the kids had been using them every day. In the midst of their revelry, An old gentle voice called out from the steps that lead down to the playground from the school.

"Be careful! That tire swing was put in just yesterday and as such hasn't been properly tested."

Everyone turned to see Mr. Jenkins, the school's janitor, coming down the steps carrying a trash can and some plastic bags.

"Don't worry," said Sportacus laughing. "We'll break it in today to make sure all the bugs are out of it."

With that Mr. Jenkins smiled and waved to the kids before walking around to place the trash can in its spot and set it up. He was busy now that summer was almost over, what with getting the school ready for students and all.

Ziggy watched him while he was waiting for his turn on the tire swing. Aside from Spartacus, he could not think of a nicer person than old man Jenkins. Not only did he work at the school, often doing far more than his job specifically called for, but he also volunteered time everyday to the Lazytown church where he helped Father Allen by doing all the cleaning and yard work for the small church. He was always kind and friendly. He never scolded kids if he caught them doing something wrong, just explained to them why it was wrong. Some of the older students made fun of him, and routinely did things to make his job harder. But every time they spilled something or broke something when it was plainly no accident, Mr. Jenkins just quietly set to work picking or cleaning it up, sometimes quietly humming bits of some song or melody that Ziggy could never make out, but was sure it was beautiful if he ever heard it properly.

"Ok Ziggy, its your turn" said Sportacus. He picked up the chubby 7 year old and placed him into the swing. "So what will it be, standard swing or the spin cycle?"

"Ummmm, spin! Yeah, spin me fast as you can!"

With that, Sportacus began to wind up the cable, turning Ziggy round and round, but not letting it unwind. After a solid minute of winding up, Sportacus told Ziggy to hold on tight and then let go. The swing took all of one second to reach its maximum rotation speed. Ziggy spun around in a blur and only just had time to get out, "I think I'm gonna be sick….." when he lost control of his grip and was instantly flung out of the tire. To everyone else it happened so fast they didn't even know what happened before it was over, but to Sportacus he saw Ziggy sliding out of the swing and right as it ejected him, Sportacus dived on the ground to the spot where Ziggy would land. He caught the young boy and stood Ziggy on his feet, whereupon Ziggy immediately sat back down. "Sooo dizzy…."

The kids all ran over to where Sportacus and Ziggy were, clapping Ziggy on the back and congratulating Sportacus on the awesome save. While Ziggy was on the ground, his head still swimming, he saw Stephanie hugging Sportacus, thanking him for saving them again, and Sportacus hugging her back. He wasn't sure why, being only 7 and all, but even for his small childlike mind, he always felt warm inside whenever he saw Stephanie and Sportacus together like that. As if the world was a bit more 'right' during those moments. He didn't understand crushes and those other things the older kids talked about, but he was pretty sure Stephanie was more than a friend to Sportacus, more than the rest of the kids were to him, and that Sportacus was more than a friend to Stephanie. Sometimes, only every now and then mind you, he got the same feeling about Stingy and Trixie, but they very quickly broke back down into their established roles whenever one of them began to show like that. Ziggy heard a familiar humming sound, and apparently the other kids either were too caught up talking about the coolness of flying out a mach speed of a tire swing, or they just didn't hear as well as Ziggy. He looked around the group to the other side of the playground, and saw Mr. Jenkins putting a plastic bag in another trash can and smiling. He turned his head up and looked straight at Ziggy. Mr. Jenkins slowly nodded his head and then gathered up his materials and went back up the steps to the school.

"That's enough swinging for now, lets go get some sports candy and water and then head to the park for some field games." said Sportacus.

The kids shouted their approval of the plan and so they got Ziggy up and went to have more fun.

That was pretty much how the rest of the summer was spent. Then school started and life settled down into its daily routine. Finally summer came again and the kids made the most of every day, dodging Robbie Rotten's attempts to ban Sportacus forever and also learning how to be better, healthier people from Sportacus. Three more years came and went in a similar fashion. And now that Ziggy was 11, he knew for sure several things that he only has ideas about when he was younger. First, Stephanie and Sportacus definitely liked each other more, and in a different way, than normal friends. Second, that Stingy and Trixie, although they showed it far less often and with less certainty than Stephanie and Sportacus, were in the same boat. He secretly hoped it was love for both sets. He also realized, growing up those four years, that he would never be quite as good at many things in life as his friends, but the one thing he wanted to do, more than anything else ever, (even more than ever eating candy again, which stunned him greatly when he thought about it) was to protect his friends from anyone that would try to hurt them or do anything to them to make them sad. However, it was usually Sportacus or someone else that ended up saving Ziggy, which is why he often was sad himself, but he always tried his best not to show it.

The third thing he had learned, was that of all the grown ups besides Sportacus (who was essentially a kid like them, just bigger and with more knowledge), only Mr. Jenkins was an adult whom you could go to with anything. Ziggy's parents were busy with work or his older siblings doing big things with their lives. Mayor Milford Meanswell was nice, but although he never judged you himself, often if he was pressured one way or another, he would cave in quickly, even when it was obvious he didn't believe in what he was being forced to do. As such, that made him not the best person to go to with secrets. Miss Busybody was totally in a different world than the children. Again, she was nice to them, but it had always been clear that she lived in the adult world and considered many of the things the kids did silly. Most of the other parents of the group were similar to either Ziggy's own, or to Stephanie's uncle. The worst though, was Father Allen. Not only did he constantly berate the children, but also was the first to demand punishment when one of the kids had done something wrong. He couldn't be trusted with even the simplest of secrets that you would want kept from your parents, and always looked at Sportacus with malice. It made Ziggy shiver every time he caught Father Allen giving that look to Sportacus. Why he hated Sportacus so much he didn't know, but although he didn't do near as much to get rid of Sportacus as Robbie Rotten did, Ziggy felt that Father Allen hated Sportacus ten times more. Robbie was another adult that Ziggy knew couldn't be trusted, but then again, he knew THAT even when he was little. Ziggy had other reasons for not liking Father Allen, such as the way he treated Mr. Jenkins. He never did things like some of the kids at school did, but his spite for the kind old man was evident in other ways. He always had him cleaning or fixing or trimming something that really didn't need attention, but requested it done just because he knew Mr. Jenkins wouldn't say no.

The day Ziggy felt best, was on one such day after church, when he heard the long list of chores Father Allen was reading to Mr. Jenkins to do. He ran home, changed out of his Sunday clothes, then called everyone else and got them to go over to the church after they had changed, and help old man Jenkins all day. They made the chores fun and enjoyable. Stephanie would sometimes break out into a song and then she and Sportacus would start to dance with each other. The kids sang along and clapped and pretended to play nonexistent instruments. Mr. Jenkins laughed, and clapped as well. Sometimes he would hum his song, which Ziggy had learned only he could hear for some reason. Every time he asked others if they heard it, they said they didn't know what he was talking about.

He hoped days like that could go on forever.


	2. Chapter 2

PRESENT - four years after start of story. Inside the Lazytown church.

Mr. Jenkins was wiping a pew with a rag. Sportacus and the gang had just left after helping him with most of the chores. Father Allen walked into the room from his office and stared at the main entrance to the church they had just left from.

"Its disgusting" he sneered, "the way those two carry on."

"Which two?" replied Mr. Jenkins.

"The man and the pink girl. Always holding hands, and dancing together. He's far too old for her and should know better. His affection for her is nothing short of a terrible sin in front of God."

"But he has always loved her and she him, surely you have seen that. When she was little, she loved him as a father and he to her as a daughter. When she grew up some, their love became that of good friends. Now that she has begun turning into an adult, so does their love change into the strongest love of all, between a boy and girl or man and woman. And since he, as a hero, does not age as normal humans do, there is no harm in them pairing, because he can allow himself to age as she does, so as to live a normal life with her."

"Bah! Love is irrelevant, its only lust that drives him, and she's too caught up in her own lust to even think about it. And the other two are almost just as bad. The dark haired girl and the sweater boy. I can tell they already want to do things they shouldn't even be thinking about for many years to come. Apparently its true what people tell me about girls becoming sluts earlier these days. Before long they'll have stained the minds of the other two boys and have them committing sins with other girls"

At that Mr. Jenkins stood up slowly from his kneeling position.

"You mean Trixie and Stingy? How can you think the strengthening of their hearts is in anyway evil? You of all people should know that it is the most blessed that discovers the greatest of powers so early. Love is never late or early, it is always when and where it should be. Always. It is its own question and answer. And as such, while the evil of the world can corrupt the weakness in people's hearts into making them think love is what has hurt them, in reality it is love which powers them and sustains them against the winds of time and hatred."

Father Allen looked at Mr. Jenkins as if at a worm under a microscope.

"Awfully philosophical for a cleaning man. Just get back to picking up dirt and let those in charge of right and wrong put the world into the ordered state it should be."

With that, Father Allen went back into his office. Mr. Jenkins kneeled back down. Quietly and sadly, he resumed cleaning the pew.

Several days later, everyone in the group was getting ready for Stephanie's birthday. She was turning 13 today and a great party had been planned by all her friends and family. What made this particular birthday of Stephanie's extra special, was the fact that Stephanie's parents would be here for it! Her parents were both diplomats for the country which is why they were always gone and had to leave her in the care of Stephen Meanswell's brother, the mayor of Lazytown. Apparently, Father Allen had thought it would be nice if they could come to see her for such a big birthday event as turning 13, and so with the help of the Mayor, he had managed to contact them about it.

Stephanie was dressed up in clothes even better than her Sunday attire. Her hair was done up with a new headband for the occasion. The dress she wore, while still being mostly pink, had white lace and blue trim on it. She also was wearing makeup that Trixie had applied, and for the first time ever, Trixie managed to not play a prank when helping Stephanie with her makeup, but instead applied it perfectly to match her naturally pink and white skin tone. When Sportacus came into the house, he couldn't move or even say anything for more than a minute because he was staring so intently at her. This, of course made Stephanie blush to match her dress and hair.

"What? Do I look that bad? Its ok if you think so but please don't drive it home by looking at me like that." she said.

"Bad?" replied Sportacus. "Are you kidding me? You're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on this whole planet. And I've been many, many places and thing many, many things."

With that he put his present for her on the table and went over to give her a hug. Everyone was busy getting streamers up or refreshments ready. (No one commented on Sportacus and Stephanie not helping. They were still hugging, so everyone made sure that it seemed as if no help was needed by either, so as to give them no reason to stop their embrace)

At this point the doorbell rang, and the mayor put down the big bowl of punch he was carrying and said, "Please continue everyone, I'll get it."

He went to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway was a tall man with brown hair and green eyes. Although taller than the mayor he was still not quite as tall as Sportacus. Next to him was a woman with orange-red hair, in the same style that Stephanie kept hers in usually and brown eyes. She was about 6 inches shorter than the man.

"Hello Milford, long time no see." said the man.

"Stephen! Its been far, far too long." The mayor hugged his brother, but the stranger broke the hug rather quickly it seemed to Ziggy.

Milford Meanswell then turned to the woman, "And Lauren, I'm glad you could make it too!"

"I'm glad I could come. I haven't seen my baby girl in so long, I don't even know if I'd recognize her now."

"Yes, where is Stephanie?" asked Stephen Meanswell.

"Right over here." The mayor opened the door and moved so as to show everyone who the newcomers were.

Stephanie looked away from her still ongoing hug with Sportacus.

"Mommy? Daddy?" Tears began to form in her eyes, and she disentangled herself from Sportacus's arms, ran over to the two people in the doorway and threw herself onto them.

Pretty soon the mom and Stephanie were both crying and everyone in the room felt joy radiate from the two. Stephanie's father hugged her briefly, then let his daughter and wife hug while he turned to his brother. "Thanks for taking care of her while we're away. We have about a week we can stay before we have to be off again. I hope she hasn't been any trouble."

Milford Meanswell waved his hand saying "Trouble? Stephanie? Of course she's been trouble from time to time, but she has the most amazing way of making even trouble turn out to be fun. I promise you Stephen, I wouldn't take back the last four and a half years for anything."

"Good, good. I'm glad." Stephen now turned to look at Sportacus. "And who might you be?"

Mayor Milford smiled and said, "That's Sportacus, our local town hero. Usually he's the one who ends up getting Stephanie and the children out of trouble. If he hadn't been here all these years I'm sure things would be a lot different than they are now."

"Well, I'm guessing there's no reason I would want things to be any different is there? Thank you for all your help Mr. Sportacus."

"Sportacus walked forward to shake hands with the man. "Its just Sportacus actually, and its been my pleasure Mr. Meanswell."

Once again, although he wasn't sure how, Ziggy could feel the ill will in someone. In this case, it was Stephanie's father toward Sportacus. He smiled and took Sportacus's hand, but Ziggy could tell the friendly gesture was fake and empty. He also noticed how throughout the rest of the party, Stephanie's father never let her spend too much time with Sportacus. He always asked her for help with something, or to catch him up with her life whenever it seemed like she was going to go and talk with Sportacus or be near him. Stephanie's mom seemed not to mind Sportacus, and when she thanked him for helping keep watch over her little girl, she seemed genuinely grateful and appreciative. Eventually it got late and the party wound down. People went home and Stephanie packed some things since she was going to spend the week with her parents who were staying at the Lazytown Inn.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Ziggy woke up feeling a little bit sick from all the cake he had eaten, but also very satisfied with how life was going currently. He went to go eat a quick breakfast, brushed his teeth and then left to join his friends in the park.

"Where's Trixie and Stephanie?" Ziggy asked when he arrived. " I thought we were going to finish making our bike path through the woods today."

Pixel looked up from the PSP he was playing. "Trixie went to go get Stephanie and Stingy went to ask Sportacus if would come down and help us with it."

With that, Ziggy sat down next to his friend and watched him crush alien invaders. After about 15 minutes, Ziggy looked up to see Trixie walking into the park. He also noticed something he thought he would never see in his entire life. Trixie was crying. He had seen girls cry before, but for some reason, probably because Trixie was always so strong and self-confidant and defiant, it was way more heart wrenching to watch the young tomboy with streaks of hot, wet tears rolling down her cheeks than with any one else.

He nudged his friend to look up and right as Pixel saw Trixie and said "What the…?", he heard Stingy and Sportacus walking up from the other side of the park.

Stingy came up to them and firmly stated, "Ok, I got Sportacus, but since I did it this time I think we should name the path after me, since it will eventually be mine anyways, and I just think…."

He cut off as he looked to where he saw Ziggy was staring and immediately ran over to Trixie.

"Trixie! What's wrong? Did someone hurt you? Why are you crying?"

"Oh Stingy, its awful." she said softly and with her bottom lip shaking and making it hard to say words clearly.

He started to put his hand on her shoulder, then paused for a second as if unsure, but finally wrapped both his arms around her and brought her into a hug. For once, she let herself be consoled like any other girl would have.

Through sniffles, stuttering, and occasional quick intakes of air, she explained what had happened.

"I went to the Inn to get Stephanie, because we were going to have a fun day and all, finishing the bike path just like we planned, and, and so I knocked on their door, and Stephanie answered the door and she was crying and she said that her parents said that they didn't want her hanging around Sportacus anymore cause they think he's not a good influence on her and then she said that they didn't want her hanging around us either because we were also bad influences on her. And what's worse is that apparently Father Allen has talked with her dad about, about…"

Trixie stopped to let a large flow of tears run out. Stingy held her even harder to him. Eventually she continued.

"About how the rest of us kids have also gotten some bad habits and how we need to be separated and kept away from each other until we could be taught how not to be misled. And so her dad and Father Allen are going to talk to all of our parents soon about it and, and, and, oh Stingy!"

Another deep cry for a few moments.

"I don't want to not be able to see Sportacus, and Pixel, and Ziggy, and Stephanie, and YOU! Its so awful!"

She buried her face deep into Stingy's vest and let out long choking sobs. Everyone including Sportacus was quiet for a long time; they all just watched Trixie cry. Then Pixel broke the silence.

"Sportacus, is it true? Are we getting bad habits? What does she mean by 'we're being misled?'

Sportacus looked solemnly at his young friend. "I don't know what Stephanie's parents mean by all that, but you kids stay here. I'm going to go and speak with them and get this straightened out."

Ziggy watched as Sportacus walked off out of the park. Stingy kept holding Trixie, and Pixel just stood there quietly offering his sympathy and love to his friends. Ziggy turned to him and said, "I'm going after Sportacus, to make sure he's ok. You guys stay here or go take Trixie to the tree house where she'll feel more safe."

Pixel and Stingy nodded and then Ziggy took off after Sportacus. Even if he could have kept up with Sportacus's fast pace, he didn't want to. He wanted to stay behind out of sight. The truth was, was that Stephanie's dad, much like Father Allen, scared him. They both gave him a sense of malice and harm and utter coldness. After stopping a few times to catch his breath, he finally reached the Inn where he hid behind a bush so as not to be seen, but could still hear what was being said at the door to Stephanie's parent's room. Sportacus was standing there, as was the Mayor, Father Allen, and Stephanie and her parents. Stephanie wasn't crying, but it was plainly evident she had been. Her face, pure white and pink in nature, was all puffy and swollen.

"Please, Mr. Meanswell, explain to me why you told those things to Stephanie?" said Sportacus to Stephanie's dad. "I don't understand."

"Its quite simple, I know its your job to help and protect, but I think you've done more than enough of that, and I don't want you staying around my daughter anymore. For God's sake, the first thing I see of my daughter is her in some strange man's arms, holding her much closer than any friend or protector would. And from what Father Allen told me over the phone when we arranged this visit, hugging is sometimes the least of it."

"Dad stop it!" cried Stephanie. "Sportacus is the last person in the world who would hurt me or any of us kids. I don't know what Father Allen told you but its lies! He's the best person I've ever known!"

"Stephen", said Lauren Meanswell tugging on her husband's arm. "Perhaps Stephanie is right. He seems like a nice man, I'm sure his intentions are honest and good."

Father Allen spoke up, "Mrs. Meanswell, trust me, Sportacus's intentions are only good for himself. And because he's had almost exclusive rights to Stephanie and the other children's lives for so long now, they've become corrupted by his ways. Two of the other children are already far more intimate with each other than kids their age should be. Its best we get them all away from both Sportacus and each other until they can be shown their wrongdoings"

Sportacus looked imploringly to the mayor, "Please mayor, tell them, explain to them I only want to help the children. I do feel strongly for Stephanie, but I would never, EVER push her into anything or make her feel uncomfortable or do anything she didn't want to do. I want to protect her, that's all!"

Mayor Meanswell looked as if he was being put in front of a firing squad. "Oh my. Sportacus I know you're a good man," The mayor gave a quit look to Father Allen and his brother who were both glaring at him. "But I just don't know. Perhaps it, might be best, if you did leave Lazytown. Just for a while, until things can get sorted out."

Sportacus looked as if his last support had been taken out from under him. And now he was falling into oblivion.

Once again Stephanie's father spoke up. "I suggest you go back into your air ship and do exactly as my brother suggested. I don't want to see you around my daughter ever again. And I'm sure the other children's parents will feel the same way once we speak to them about you. And to make sure you don't try any kind of attempt to get around our request, I've had the mayor here inform the town police to arrest you if they see you anywhere near any of the Lazytown kids. In addition, I've contacted the hero organization who sent you and described your actions to them. They say that you are acting far outside your duties of heroship, and they're sending a temporary replacement who will also investigate and, 'interrogate' you. So go back to your big blue blimp and prepare to defend yourself Mr. Sportacus. Good day."

Stephanie began crying again as her dad put his hand on her shoulder to lead her back into the room. She wrenched free of it and ran to Sportacus, wrapping her arms around him. Sportacus slowly hugged her back, and when Stephanie's father walked up to get her again, Sportacus shot him a look as if he would kill him if he touched her, parent or not. This stopped Mr. Meanswell, but only for a while.

"I warning you, you have 10 seconds to let go of my daughter. After which, even if the local police and the organization that spawned you can't stop you, I will have every solider in land after you. And Stephanie's life will be ruined if you put her through all that."

Sportacus knew he wasn't lying. And knowing that dreadful threat for truth, he pried Stephanie's arms away from his body. He turned her wet and shiny cheeks up to face him.

"Listen Stephanie, you need to go with your parents now. I am going to go away, and I might not see you again, but I want you to know that you have made me proud to be a hero. Everyday I have spent with you and the other kids is a little light I keep in my heart, which I will look back on to warm me during all the cold times ahead."

Then he pushed her away, took 2 steps back, turned and ran. No flipping, no cartwheels. He just ran as hard as Ziggy had ever seen him run. Within seconds he was out of sight. Ziggy turned his own watery gaze back to the others, and saw the smug look that both Father Allen and Stephanie's dad wore. Seeing them, Ziggy felt something rush up from deep inside him. It was hate; raw, seething hatred. Hate so strong it scared Ziggy how powerful it was. He thought things of what he wanted to do to those two men that he had never thought of any other human being. Even Robbie Rotten at his worst was not even in the same galaxy as them. Ziggy stood up and ran from his hiding place to tell the others what he had seen and heard.


	4. Chapter 4

Ziggy amazed himself. He ran straight, all the way back to the park, and then not finding his friends there, onto their tree house where he knew they must be. Not once did he have to stop for breath. His anger fueled him in a way nothing ever had before. Not even candy. Quick as Sportacus himself, he ran up the ladder and entered the cramped room. They were all sitting down. Stingy was still holding Trixie, who was leaning her head against his chest. She stared quietly at nothing. Pixel was trying to play his game, but it was plain to see his heart was not even remotely in it. Ziggy sat down best he could, and quickly told them everything. When he was done, Trixie looked as if she was almost about to cry again. Stingy for once, had nothing to say, but Pixel mirrored Ziggy's own personal state.

"Those dirty…, filthy…"

It was clear he wanted to curse, but poor, gentle Pixel found it hard to do so, even at a time like this.

"I know, I know. Trust me Pixel, I know exactly what you can't say. That's why we can't let them get away with this. Not for us, so we can still hang out with each other and Sportacus, but for Sportacus and Stephanie. They're the best of us, and shouldn't have to go through this." Ziggy paused, a bit embarrassed to admit what he was about to say, but continued none the less. "A long time ago, I promised myself and God I wouldn't let anything happen to or hurt my friends. That's why I'm going to do something."

Trixie turned to him. "But Ziggy what can we do? We're just a bunch of kids after all."

"I know one other adult who might help us. Usually he's always against us, but I can't think that even he would want this to happen. I'm going to see Robbie Rotten."

"You really think he'll help you?" asked Pixel.

"As Sportacus would say, I won't know until I try."

And so Ziggy opened the bottom latch, but not before taking one of the 2 tree house, group owned, (despite Stingy's protests on that point) walkie-talkies.

"I'll radio you guys when I have a plan from Robbie." he said.

Ziggy then climbed back down and ran off to the pipe that lead to Robbie's lair.

20 Minutes later, he was down talking to Robbie.

"Please Mr. Rotten! I've told you what's happening! You can't want Sportacus to be gone forever! Haven't you had fun trying to take him out all these years? And how do feel about someone else being the one to finally get rid of him? You can't want that!"

"Hmmm. I will admit to you Zippy, that a part of my pride is hurt because I wasn't the one to do it, but, I HAVE wanted him gone since forever it seems. So why should I do anything? Not only will Sportaloser be run off, but all you noisy kids will be kept apart, hopefully for just as long. No, I can deal with a bit of wounded pride for all that in exchange."

Robbie then faced away from Ziggy, and continued working on his television, trying to get the best possible picture. Ziggy slowly turned and walked back to the stairs going up the pipe. He was completely devastated. Somehow, he had just hoped that Robbie would save them from this horrible predicament. There was no historical evidence to backup his reasoning for this hope. He just felt in his heart that Robbie wasn't as bad as he always seemed.

Once Robbie heard the pipe door up top close, he stopped what he was doing with his TV, which was essentially nothing, and said to himself, "I'm sorry Sportacus. I, will…, miss you. But as much as my pride hates being bested by 2 amateurs of villainy, it would be even more damaged if I went against everything I've been preaching these last 4 years and saved you."

Robbie then walked over to his orange chair and dropped his weary body down. He was more tired than he had ever remembered himself being. But it wasn't his body that felt exhausted so much as his soul.

Above ground, Ziggy was in a trance. The wind had picked up, and storm clouds had blown in, cooling the air dramatically. But Ziggy didn't even feel the wind whipping around him. He walked as if asleep. His mind was empty. He had no idea on what to do, so he just walked. Some time later, he found himself in the schoolyard. Since his anger had long ago died down and given into sadness, his body felt all the running he had done earlier. He saw a bench and sat down, crossed his arms in his lap, and then laid his head into them. Pretty soon, he felt the bench shift. He looked up to see Mr. Jenkins sitting beside him, wiping his old hands on a wash cloth.

"Now now, young Ziggy. Don't you know school doesn't start for another 2 weeks? There's no reason to get so sad so soon." He smiled down, and his smile cheered Ziggy enough to wake him a bit out of his depression.

"Its not school Mr. Jenkins. Its something else entirely."

"Well then, why don't you tell this old bag of bones what on earth could be so bad, and we'll see what can be done about it yes?

Ziggy nodded, and began to narrate everything he had seen, starting at Stephanie's birthday party and ending with them sitting on the bench. When he finished, Mr. Jenkins wasn't looking at him anymore, but was instead staring into his own hands. He had a stern look on his face, and for a very long time after Ziggy finished, he was quiet. Ziggy wasn't sure what was going on in his head, but he had the impression, vaguely, that even kind old man Jenkins was mad. Strangely, this old man's, calm, reserved anger frightened him more than even his own had. Then he turned to Ziggy and took hold of him by the shoulders.

"Ziggy, I want you to listen to me, and listen very carefully. You are absolutely right. This is not good what's happening, but rather something of great evil. In some ways, even killing someone isn't as bad as the sins that some of those adults are committing right now. And trust me, beyond just working at a church, I of all people know about sin. We must stop them before Stephanie and Sportacus's hearts go so far down into darkness and depression, that one of them might even do the unthinkable. I want you to go back to your friends and have them get Sportacus and Stephanie. You may need to get Sportacus first, so that he can help you get Stephanie."

Ziggy couldn't help but break in, "But Stephanie's father said that if Sportacus ever came close to her again, not only would the police be after him but so would all sorts of other people, including the army if he had to!"

"Yes, I know. That's why when you have gathered everyone, I want you to bring them to the church. I will be waiting there. I have something in mind. Tell them that. Tell them they will be safe there. I can't explain anymore than that now, but Ziggy, you are the only one who can do this. All your friends are counting on you. You mustn't fail them, brave knight. You are the one who needs to protect them this time, as you have always wished you could."

Ziggy sat there astonished. 'How could he know what I've been wanting my whole life?' he thought. And thinking that, he then felt ashamed. He DID want to be the one who could save them one day, but not if it cost them the pain and suffering they were going through.

"Ziggy, there is no time for self hate or pity, you must go now. Do whatever it takes just bring them to the church. And remember Ziggy, the pink girl is right, there's ALWAYS a way. Now run!"

Mr. Jenkins stood up and Ziggy got on his feet as well and started running back to the tree house. Halfway there, he remembered he had the walkie-talkie. He changed course to Sportacus's airship and turned on the radio. Once Pixel picked up he stopped running and explained to him what happened with Robbie and what Mr. Jenkins told him.

"Well its nice at least one adult is listening to us, but what can old man Jenkins do for us? I know he's a grown up, but I've seen other grown ups give a kid more respect than they give him sometimes. And he's not Sportacus. Heck, I think even us kids are probably stronger and faster than he is."

"I know Pixel, but he told me to trust him, and I do. I don't know how but I feel what he said is true. If we get to the church, we'll be safe. I'm going to go tell Sportacus myself, and me and him will go rescue Stephanie. You have to get Stingy and Trixie to the church. I'm depending on you Pixel."

Ziggy heard Pixel swallow as if he had something large in his throat, then Pixel's voice followed. "I won't let you down Ziggy. You can trust me. Pixel out."


	5. Chapter 5

When Ziggy arrived at the mailbox, he had to stop and catch his breath, but he didn't give himself too long to rest. He pulled out a piece of scratch paper and pencil and began to write. When he was done he put it into a tube, and one button later and it was on its way to the airship.

Then he allowed himself to sit down against the mailbox and rest. He knew he had to have done more exercise today than in the whole past week. After about 5 minutes, Ziggy saw a ladder drop down in front of him. He had hoped Sportacus would simply come down to him, but imagining what kind of mood Sportacus was probably in, Ziggy understood if he didn't want to leave his home. Ziggy stood up and began to climb the ladder, knowing he had to do it for his friend. Again, he amazed himself by making it all the way to the top. Once there he entered the open doorway to find Sportacus sitting in his piloting chair. He wasn't really looking at anything, and when he turned to Ziggy, it was clear even he had shed a few tears earlier. Ziggy knew that if his life's hero felt defeated, Ziggy would have to be that much stronger for the both of them.

"Sportacus, you have to come to the church. After Robbie said he wouldn't help any of us, I talked to Mr. Jenkins, and he said if we can all make it to the church we would be safe and that he would do something for us. Pixel is getting the others there but you need to help me get Stephanie away from her parents."

Sportacus looked wearily at his young friend. "First off Ziggy, there's no guarantee we can get her away from her parents. And even if we could, how will going to the church make us safe? Its not demons we'd be running from but people. And there is nothing kind, old Mr. Jenkins can do for me, or likely for any of us. Ziggy I'm sorry I've failed you this time. You should probably go home and try to forget about me. There will be a new hero sent here soon. You can start looking up to him when he gets here."

"Forget it!" Ziggy shouted. "Sorry Sportacus, but I don't care how many other hero's they send. They can send superman for all I care. You're the only one I will ever look up to. You've been there for me everyday of my life it seems, and I'm not going to let you down the one time you need me. I don't understand how any of this will help us, but I do trust my friends when they tell me to. And I trust Mr. Jenkins. I'm going to walk out of here and go try to get Stephanie, even if you don't come along. I'll probably fail, but I'm going to do my best and that's all I can ever do, just like you told me."

Sportacus was quiet for a while then slowly got out of the pilot seat and onto his feet. He walked to Ziggy and dropped to one knee. "You're right Ziggy. That's all any of us can do. I'm ashamed I forgot what it means to be a hero. Thank you for reminding me."

Then Sportacus straightened and said "Lets go get Stephanie and see what your friend has in mind."

"Yeah!!!" said Ziggy. Then he and Sportacus dropped from the airship into the sky chaser, and made their way to the Lazytown Inn.

When they arrived, it occurred to Ziggy, that even though they were both on the same page now, there still remained the small, tiny flaw in their plan, and that was that they didn't have one.

"Sportacus, how ARE we going to get Stephanie away from her parents?"

"Don't worry Ziggy, I think I have an idea that just 'might' work. And if it doesn't, then I'm willing to take a more direct method to getting Stephanie if I have to. Here's my plan."

Sportacus explained what he wanted Ziggy to do, then they landed behind the bushes where Ziggy hid the first time he was here.

"Good luck." Sportacus clasped his hand onto Ziggy's small one. "And I want you to know, no matter what happens, that I'm grateful for everything you've ever done for me and for what you're doing now. You're one of the bravest and best people I have ever met."

Hearing the words that Ziggy usually says to Sportacus made Ziggy nearly burst with happiness. He stood as tall as he could, turned to the Inn and began walking. He didn't look back. He knew Sportacus would take care of things on his end. As Ziggy got closer and closer to the door, he remembered Stephanie's father, and how terrible he seemed. This made Ziggy begin to get scarred again. But then he reminded himself how all his friends were depending on him. Proud Stingy, willful Trixie, gentle Pixel, strong Sportacus, and kind hearted Stephanie. Their faces are what he used to walk right up to the door and very confidently knock.

The door opened and there was standing Stephanie's mom. Strangely, she too seemed to have been crying, but the tears were long dried and only some blotchiness remained to betray them.

"Excuse me Mrs. Meanswell, could I come in? I don't want to see Stephanie, I actually wanted to talk to you and Mr. Meanswell if I may."

"Well, I don't see why not if you're one of Stephanie's friends."

Ziggy entered the room and saw Mr. Meanswell in the kitchen, probably making something to eat. There was no sign of Stephanie.

"I wanted to tell you two, if I may, about all the good things Sportacus has showed and taught me over the years, and how he's not such a bad guy."

"Forget it kid," said Mr. Meanswell as he came out of the kitchen. "I know you want to help your supposed friend and all, but trust me, its only because he prefers girls to boys that he hasn't gone after you yet. And even with that, I have no doubt that you've probably learned other things like drugs or various illegal activities from him. Guys like him love to use kids for their dirty work."

"Stephen! He's a child! Don't say things like that around him!" cried the mother.

Ziggy swallowed a bubble of hate that threatened to well up inside him again. "No, its alright Mrs. Meanswell, I understand the fears he may have about what we've learned, but that's why I'm here to show you. For example, did you know how unhealthy that sandwich you're about to eat is Mr. Meanswell? I can see ham and bacon and roast beef just hanging out of it, along with tons of mayonnaise. That's what Sportacus calls a heart attack special. But not only does he teach us that we should eat good things like sports candy, but he's also showed us how to exercise."

With that, Ziggy began doing jumping jacks. And Ziggy being Ziggy, this began to shake the room.

"Alright, alright. That's very nice, now please stop before the paintings fall down!" Mr. Meanswell shouted over the sound of Ziggy hitting the floor. 

"But that's not all, I'm also a much better runner now, see?"

Ziggy began doing quick laps around the living room. This shook the walls even more. After about a minute of Mr. Meanswell trying to get him to stop, he finally managed to catch him.

"That's quite a good enough show for us little boy." Mr. Meanswell began to herd Ziggy to the door. "But I really have some important paperwork to do for my job so why don't you go outside and run your plump little heart out. Ok?"

He pushed Ziggy outside and closed the door quite firmly. Ziggy started to walk back to the sky chaser but soon ran outright in his need to know what happened. There he saw both Stephanie and Sportacus already in the small machine. Smiling that the plan worked, Ziggy sat down on the edge of the back seat, not the safest place to be, but he refused to let Stephanie sit anywhere than in the back seat herself, right behind Sportacus. Slowly the ship rose, but even for Sportacus it was hard to get all that weight air born. As they got the altitude they needed and began to turn toward the church, Stephanie grasped onto Sportacus's shoulder and said "Look!"

Down below, her parents were out in the parking lot looking around franticly. It didn't take Mr. Meanswell long to see the sky chaser. He pointed to them and said something most probably like "Stop" but they were already too far away to make it out completely.

"Stephanie, are you sad that you're disobeying your parents like this?" asked Ziggy.

"I'm sad for my mom. She told me she doesn't believe what my father says about you Sportacus, but she just doesn't know what she can do about it. As for my father, I've never known him. He's never been there for me. Uncle Milford is my dad and always will be. Even if he is a big coward."

They spent the rest of the flight in silence. As they approached the church, Sportacus saw down below the lights of police cars following them on the ground. Soon after he pointed them out to the others, something hit the small vessel to make it rock horribly. Ziggy turned around after nearly losing his seat and saw an equally small ship chasing them.

"Sportacus its another skychaser!!" And then a white ball that looked like a snowball zipped over their heads.

"Not good, he's another hero from the organization, sent to replace and interrogate me. And he has the 'optional' weapons package installed on his sky chaser it seems!"

Sportacus began to go down low into the trees, and sure enough their pursuer followed. Sportacus made a quick loop around an oak and soon they were rushing toward the other hero in a game of chicken. This was one game that Sportacus had every intention of losing however, such that he quickly veered away. The enemy hero smiled in victory then saw the oak he was heading for. He managed to dive down, but everyone in Sportacus's sky chaser could hear the crash down below.

"Don't worry." said Sportacus, "He's a hero, he'll have jumped off long before it hit."

Then they continued their way to the church. Sportacus managed to beat the police it seemed and made quick work of their landing. Even as they all jumped out of the sky chaser, Ziggy heard a voice come from around the corner of the church. "I'm afraid that's enough Sportacus. Its time you paid the piper for what you've done."

They turned to see Father Allen with the chief of police for Lazytown standing there. The police chief had a gun in his hand.

"He's right Sportacus." said the chief. "I really hate to do this and all, seeing as all you've done for this town in the past, but I have to order you to stop what you're doing. Please just step away from the children and come to me, hands up of course."

Sportacus looked at the police chief and then at Ziggy and Stephanie. It was obvious he didn't know what to do. Ziggy however, still feeling a bit of the rage for Father Allen, wasn't about to let his friend be taken that close to their objective. He ran straight at the police chief. It was a stupid thing to do, he knew, considering the man he was going at had a gun in his hand. There hadn't been a crime note worthy enough to need a gun to be drawn in Lazytown for almost a decade. But Ziggy didn't think the chief would fire on him, a kid, regardless. And if he was wrong, well, that's what knights do right?

Fortunately for Ziggy, the police chief was NOT about to fire on a kid, even one attacking him. It should be said at this point that the police chief resembled chief Wiggims from the simpsons. So when Ziggy crashed into him, they rolled on the ground like two fleshy ball bearings. Ziggy managed to get up before the chief (thank you Sportacus abdominal training) and cried out "Quick into the church!"

All three ran right past the flabbergasted Father Allen and into the church. Sportacus came in last and as soon as he did, they heard the door close and then a large thud. It took Ziggy's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness, but he saw his friends had made it. When he turned behind to look, he saw Mr. Jenkins standing in front of the large solid oak doors. There was a beam of wood running through iron holders across them.

Mr. Jenkins smiled. "Fortunately Father Allen has always been a bit of a historical collector. Although totally not needed in this day of modern locks, these old Victorian doors he had built for this place will serve us far more effectively than any modern lock."


	6. Chapter 6

Inside the church, Stephanie went to each of her friends and hugged them. Meanwhile Sportacus was talking to Mr. Jenkins.

"Thank you for helping us, but I have to ask how will barring the doors make us safe?"

"It won't. At least not for long. I imagine that as we speak, Father Allen has helped the police chief gather more men, and even your fellow hero has likely joined them. I'm sure Stephanie's parents are also there, and pretty soon we'll begin to hear the sound of a ram bearing down on the doors. Once they start that, I would think even those strong oak beams will not hold out for more than a few minutes, depending on how strong that hero is, and the other men wielding the ram."

"Wait, Ziggy said you had a plan, some way you can help. Please tell me what it is that you can do for us!"

"Not yet. I must wait to see what everyone involved will do at the very end, and give those that have made poor choices a last chance return to the light from the dark places their heart's dwell in."

Mr. Jenkins then would say no more, no matter what Sportacus tried to do to get him to explain further.

Pixel, Stingy, Trixie and Stephanie sat on a pew near the door along with Ziggy. Sportacus came over to them and looked grim.

"I'm sorry everyone, I have no idea what will happen. For all I can tell, Mr. Jenkins might not even be thinking about this entirely rationally. Sometimes old people get like that. I'm truly sorry I got all of you into this, especially you Stephanie."

Sportacus sat down next to her and they held hands.

Almost as soon as he did, they heard and felt the first one.

DUUMM

The whole church shook with the force of the impact from whatever was being used to hit the main doors with. Dust floated down from the roof and the windows shook in their holdings.

Everyone huddled a bit closer.

DUUMM

Sportacus stood up and looked to old man Jenkins. "Please, I'm asking, no I'm begging you, do whatever it is you going to do, or tell me whatever it is you know that will help us, if indeed there is anything at all."

DUUMM

Old man Jenkins stood silent.

DUUMM

Trixie began to cry and Stingy held her closer to him. Pixel looked about like a creature caught in a trap it can't escape. And even Ziggy, who up until then had been so sure of himself, began to fall into doubt. It seemed what Sportacus had said might be true. Perhaps Mr. Jenkins really was just not in his right mind. Which meant that everything they had done and gone through would make the end just that much worse. Worse for him, his friends, and much, much worse for Sportacus. Ziggy began to have a sick feeling in his stomach. The feeling of knowing a terrible, dreadful ordeal is coming. Worse than going to any doctor or dentist could ever be.

Sportacus walked over beside Stephanie, tears in his eyes. She stood up and hugged him, her own eyes were already crying.

DUUMM

"Everyone, lets move to the back of the church, I don't want you to be hurt when the doors break." said Sportacus.

They all began to get up and move to the back except for Ziggy.

DUUMM

"Come on Ziggy." Trixie pleaded, "Its not safe where you are."

But Ziggy wouldn't, couldn't move. His heart was just too heavy. The deep and dark depression was growing too great in his mind.

Mr. Jenkins old voice sounded far and distant when he spoke. "Leave Ziggy where he is. I assure you he is safe from harm."

DUUMM - crack

Stephanie and Trixie both gave out a squeak when the first tear in the wood began to show.

DUUMM - crack

Sportacus took Stephanie away from the rest of the kids, to right below the altar. There he got on his knees, as did Stephanie, and held her as tightly as Ziggy had ever seen him do before. He stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth.

DUUMM - crack

Seeing his friends, especially Stephanie and Sportacus, crying and scared, Ziggy himself began to cry. Hot tears flowed unhindered down his face.

DUUMM - crack, break

Now a splinter of wood fell from a beam near the center of the door, and with it, a single beam of sunlight entered. Ziggy turned his wet face up to the cross on the far side of the room.

"What's the point?" He cried. "Why have we even bothered becoming friends and more if it will all just be for nothing and taken away from us?"

"Must there always be a point?" replied Mr. Jenkins. "Is not the love you have for your friends enough?"

Ziggy looked back at the old man, then he put his head on top of the pew in front of him.

"Its not enough. I would have given up everything: my candy, my home, even my life to protect all my friends. But now I finally realize why other kids and people have made fun of me all my life"

DUUMM - crack, break

"Because in the end, all I am is one small fat kid, who can't even run for more than a minute without getting tired. I'm utterly useless."

DUMM - crack, break

More of the wood fell off, and now a great amount of light came in through a large rend in the wood around the center. In addition, the beam of wood barring the door began to crack.

Ziggy felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the old man right behind him. Mr. Jenkins reached down and pulled a bible out from the back shelf of the pew in front. He flipped through and then laid the open book on Ziggy's lap.

DUMM - crack, break

"Ziggy, you see the chapter at the beginning of this page? I want you to read the whole chapter. I know some of the words are big, but take your time and sound them out. Say them clearly and with purpose. It needn't be loud, just enough so that your own ears can hear the words. You have been ever so brave up to this point, and by that, I mean from the very beginning, before Stephanie even came to town. You have always held your heart and pure spirit out as a beacon to others, to help lighten their own path, even when they did not know or appreciate the light you gave."

DUMM - crack, break, splinter

"Please do this one last brave thing. Do not stop reading, no matter what you hear, until the chapter is complete."

Having no idea what this was about, and frankly, being just too empty inside to care to think about it, Ziggy did as he was asked. He took hold of the heavy book in his little hands, and slowly, carefully, with enough volume so that he could hear the words over the sound of the reverberating wood, he began to read.

_If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal._

DUUMM - crack, break, splinter

Mr. Jenkins left Ziggy and walked down the center aisle to where Stephanie and Sportacus were hugging each other on their knees.

_And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. _

Sportacus looked up from the top of Stephanie's head at Mr. Jenkins, who stood between them and the main doors. Somehow, he seemed taller than normal. Maybe it was just because Sportacus was on his knees, and Mr. Jenkins was standing. He couldn't tell.

DUUMM - CRACK!

The beam barring the doors was now bulging greatly, and would clearly not hold out more than one or two more good hits.

"Are they coming?" asked Sportacus.

_If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. _

"Yes. Very soon they will be through the door and upon you." Mr. Jenkins replied in a dead voice.

"And there is nothing to be done?"

"There is always something to be done, always a way, as it were."

DUUMM - CRAAACK!!

_Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated,_

Stephanie looked up at Sportacus, her face almost unrecognizable for all the crying.

"I won't go with them! I won't!! I would rather die than be taken away from you! I love you."

Sportacus held her face in his hands, and he said in the most loving voice he had ever used before, "And I will not let them take you away from me. Though I will die in the attempt. I would rather die than never be able to see you again. I love you with every last drop and fragment of my body, mind and soul."

_it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,_

CRAAAACCCKKKKK!!!

The beam of wood that had valiantly held the blows finally broke, and soon the doors were kicked open, sunlight pouring into the cavernous dimness.

"So Sportacus," asked Mr. Jenkins, "you're telling me that you would rather die, here and now, for this one, small, barely ripened girl, rather than submitting yourself for a quick judgment by your enemies? You have harmed no one and therefore would not get much of a punishment. You could be free within a few years and have all this behind you."

A loud thud came from the open doors, when the men holding the ram dropped it.

_it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth._

"Never."

"Well well well, isn't this a pretty sight." said the hero who had chased them in the air earlier. He was a big man, maybe even bigger than Sportacus. Except that his color scheme was red and his badge said '51' instead of '10'. He had walked into the very front of the room and stood looking at the assembled group up front. "Trying to get married are we? To make this all legit with the elders? Fat lot of good that will do I'm afraid."

"And you Stephanie," Mr. Jenkins said turning to her. "You would rather die here and now, rather than leave this one, old man, to go back home with your family and lead a normal life? If you don't put up any more resistance, you could play it off that you were being misled by Sportacus the whole time, just like they say you were. You would probably even be allowed to see your friends again within a few months."

"Thank you for the kind offer but I think I'll choose to stay here, fight and die instead."

_It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things._

Now Father Allen entered the church and walked up beside the new hero. "It isn't even a real wedding, if that's indeed what's going on. He's no ordained man of the cloth, just a janitor who's too old to know when to go home."

Father Allen heard Ziggy reading and looked over at him. "Bible passages at a time like this little boy? Hah! If you think you'll earn back my good graces after your performance earlier, just by catching up on some theological homework, you're as loony as the fools up there."

Mr. Jenkins closed his eyes, placed a hand on top of each of their heads and said "You have no more need for blessings, God has already given you the most powerful of all such."

_Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing._

Now Stephanie's mother and father entered the church. The mother was crying but she actually smiled when she saw her daughter was safe and sound. The father stepped ahead of her to stand next to Father Allen and the hero. "I told you once, Sportacus, come near my daughter again and I will hunt you down, and make your life hell. I'll even kill you if I have to."

_For we know partially and we prophesy partially,_

The three looked at each other and began to walk forward, steadily and purposefully, to the altar where Stephanie, Sportacus, and Mr. Jenkins were.

_but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away_.

When they got about halfway down the aisle, old man Jenkins took his hands away from their heads and turned around. His gaze, as seen by those children paying attention, the onlookers standing at the broken doorway, and most especially to the three men coming toward him, was terrifying. Gone was the frailty in his stance, the pallid color in his skin, and the dullness in his old eyes. He raised one hand.

"STOP!"

The word from the old man echoed round and round the room, louder than any of the previous cries from the door and ram. Impossibly loud for such a small frame.

It surprised no one when the three men stopped instantly.

_When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things._

Mr. Jenkins pointed his finger at the hero. "You come in ambition, hoping to gain favor with those you work for by destroying their love."

Then he moved his finger to Stephanie's dad. "You come in pride, not wanting anyone to see what you perceive to be an abomination on your name."

Finally he pointed at Father Allen. "You come in envy, seeing a pureness you have never felt yourself, despite being 'of the cloth' and therefore supposedly purer than others."

_At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known._

Father Allen's face contorted in rage. He spit out, "Their love isn't pure!. It IS an abomination! A blasphemy against God which should and will be wiped off the face of the Earth!" He turned to the police standing back in the doorway. "Chief, they are proving to be hostile, send your men in and have them shoot if they so much as raise one finger in resistance."

Stephanie's mother cried out at hearing that, but one of the police officers managed to grab hold of her before she had a chance to run into the church herself. Apparently, both the mayor and Robbie Rotten had also arrived, because they too had to be held back. Then the rest of the police entered and took up position around the back wall, so as to give them a clear shot around the three men.

Father Allen then turned back to Mr. Jenkins, smiling through his hateful anger, and slowly began to take another step forward.

_So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love._

A wind rose up from outside. It was hot and dry, as if it came directly from the heart of a desert. Ziggy, having finally finished reading the whole chapter, looked up now that this unnatural wind assailed him. Everyone else was standing perfectly still. None of the people in the doorway were moving at all, as were none of the officers along the back of the church. Even the three men in the center were frozen, with Father Allen's foot hanging in mid-stride. Then Ziggy looked near the altar and found out why.

Mr. Jenkins had begun to shine. It started out as just a white lining around his body, but it quickly grew in intensity. Ziggy closed his eyes and then reopened them to make sure his senses weren't abandoning him. The old man began to radiate light from his whole body. His face melted into a furnace of liquid gold, and then beams of light burst forth from it as well. His features were now distinguished by shades of brighter and dimmer light, rather than worldly material textures. He also was growing taller and larger, until he was easily twice the height of Sportacus. At this point the already incredible amount of light he was producing doubled instantly as two giant wings, also apparently made of pure light, exploded from his shoulders.

He was so bright now that Ziggy knew he shone brighter than the sun. And yet, Ziggy found himself able to still look at him. His face was beautiful, and his wings were the definition of power and grace. It seemed to Ziggy that this church, which had once seemed large and giant to him, was now impossibly small. There was no way it could hold all this power, but then again, Ziggy thought even the whole Earth, in a way, wouldn't be large enough to contain the presence of Mr. Jenkins. No, of the angel; for unquestionably, that's what he had become, or was all along.

And yet the roof didn't explode, nor did the walls burst. The angel turned around back to Stephanie and Sportacus, who were still embracing each other while also looking very scarred at the great being standing in front of them. And then the angel spoke in a deep voice that sounded like it was coming from the other end of eternity. Infinitely loud, yet infinitely far away.

**DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED. I WAITED UNTIL THE END, TO SEE IF YOUR LOVE WAS STRONG ENOUGH AND TRUE ENOUGH. **

**IT WAS. **

**I WAITED UNTIL THE END, TO SEE IF THOSE WHO WOULD DESTROY IT WERE FAR GONE ENOUGH FROM THEIR OWN SOUL'S LIGHT TO DO SO.**

**THEY WERE. **

**AND SO, BECAUSE YOUR LOVE IS TOO STRONG, TOO PURE FOR THIS WORLD, BECAUSE IT HAS ATTAINED THE STRENGTH NORMALY ONLY FOUND IN A HIGHER PLACE, I WILL TAKE YOU STRAIGHT FROM THIS WORLD TO THAT PLACE. WHERE YOUR LOVE WILL NEVER DIE OR BE CAST IN SHADOW OR THREATENED AGAIN. **

The luminous creature turned its brilliant face around and gazed at the people in the doorway.

**BUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE HERE, I FEEL SORROW AND PITY FOR ONLY A FEW. FOR SOME OF YOU KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENNING WAS WRONG ALL ALONG, BUT YOU DID NOTHING. THOUGH MANY TIMES YOU COULD HAVE PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN, YOU ALLOWED FEAR TO BETRAY JUSTICE. THOUGH MANY TIMES YOU COULD HAVE SPOKEN A WORD AGAINST IT, TO SHOW OTHERS WHERE YOU STOOD, YOU REMAINED SILENT. AND THOUGH MANY TIMES YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST LIFTED A FINGER IN PROTEST, EVEN KNOWING IT WOULD ACCOMPLISH NOTHING MORE THAN PUTTING YOUR OWN SOUL AT PEACE, YOU DID NOTHING. YOU ALLOWED FEAR, GREED, AND PRIDE TO DOMINATE YOU**.

**YOU GREAT FOOLS ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE THE WORLD OF MAN HAD IMPOSED LIMITS ON LOVE LIKE AGE, THAT LOVE WOULD OBEY YOUR SMALL MINDED LAWS? IF LOVE WAS NOT TO BE, THEN IT WOULND'T BE THERE. IF IT IS THERE, THEN IT IS BY GOD'S WILL, AND WHO ARE YOU TO IMAGINE YOURSELVES WISER THAN THE ALMIGHTY? THEIR LOVE COULD HAVE EXSISTED HERE ON EARTH, TO BRIGHTEN EVERYTHING, BUT LOVE SUCH AS THEIR'S IS NOT MEANT TO EVER FALL INTO DARKNESS. AND SO, AS IT IS MY DUTY, I WILL NOT LET IT. **

The mighty angel looked back at Stephanie and Sportacus, and reached down his two hands, each one taking one of the hands of the two humans. Then his wings encircled them, and their bodies themselves began to glow. Their forms faded until there were only two small floating points of light, one pink and one blue. The angel held one in each of his hands. He raised his hands and brought them together, whereupon the two lights swirled around each other and merged into a single point of utterly clear white light, more beautiful and pure even than the light coming from the angel, although much smaller. Suddenly the back wall of the church where the cross was hanging also started to glow. It wavered and shimmered like a mirage, and then settled down into solid vertical plane of glowing milk. Or, at least, that's the only way Ziggy's 11 year old mind could describe it. The angel took a step forward, then Trixie called out, "Wait! Where are you taking them?"

The angel turned around, still holding the Stephanie/Sportacus light. He smiled at Trixie and it was like laughter and joy washing over the room.

**I AM TAKING THEM DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN. NORMALLY, MORTALS MAY ONLY ENTER THROUGH DEATH, WHICH IS HANDLED BY ONE OF MY BROTHERS. BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, WHETHER THROUGH GREAT FAITH OR HOPE OR LOVE, THEY MAY BE TAKEN STRIAGHT FROM THE MORTAL PLANE WHILE THEY STILL LIVE. BUT DO NOT BE SAD, FOR YOU WILL SEE THEM AGAIN. INDEED! YOUR'S IS THE MOST JOYOUS OF LIVES! FOR YOU HAVE SOMETHING VERY PRESCIOUS TO LOOK FORWARD TO. DEATH FOR YOU WILL BE A HAPPY EVENT, NOT A SAD ONE. THEREFORE, LEAD EACH DAY IN GOODNESS AND CHARITY. REMEMBER ALL OF COMMANDMENTS INCLUDING THE LAST AND GREATEST, WHICH IS TO LOVE. AND IN SO DOING, YOU WILL BE ALL REUNITED IN THE PLACE WHERE THE WORDS ZIGGY READ RING TRUE:**

'**LOVE NEVER FAILS'**

The great angel faced back to the wall of milk and stepped through it. Once he was gone, the light in the room faded immensely, but more than that, it seemed as if the world felt less real when he was gone. Then the wall returned to its original state, and the dry, hot wind ceased. For a few moments nothing happened. Finally, Pixel stood up. He took hold of Stingy and Trixie's hands in each of his and pulled them up as well. Then he started to lead them to the ruined doors, and stopped when he reached Ziggy. "Come on," his friend said to him, "lets go home."


	7. Chapter 7

EPILOGUE PART ONE

Three weeks later, Stingy, Trixie, Pixel, and Ziggy were playing soccer in the park. Life had returned to as normal a state as was possible for all those involved. The hero sent to replace Sportacus left the church immediately after the children did, and neither he nor the organization he came from were ever heard from again. Father Allen, along with the police chief, told reporters that the storm had damaged the doors, and that the two suspects had escaped. Several days after that, Father Allen was found gone, and no one ever saw him again either. Most of the police who were there that day took after the chief, and decided to say nothing on what really happened. Not only because no one would believe them, and maybe even think they were crazy, but because it was something that they didn't want to tarnish in their minds. It was a singular perfect moment that they kept close to them their whole lives.

Stephanie's parents left at the end of the week like they planned. During that time they didn't come out of their hotel room almost at all. The father was starkly quite when he was seen outside, and wouldn't talk to anyone. Stephanie's mom, however, did come up to the kids, one day before she and her husband were to leave.

"I wanted to thank all of you." she said. "I know that while my baby girl was here, you were her best friends. And I just…"

Apparently even saying 'baby girl' was enough to start her crying again.

"I just wanted to tell you how wonderful you all were to care for her so much."

She buried her face in her hands and silently wept. Ziggy came up to her and hugged her.

"Don't worry, she's in a much better place! She'll always be happy from now on. There's no reason to be sad about it."

Lauren Meanswell lifted her face up and smiled at Ziggy.

"I know, its just that she and Sportacus could have gotten married and lived happily here on Earth before they died. Like normal. But, because I was so weak in front of my husband, even though I knew Sportacus was a good man in my heart, I'm the one that sent them away essentially. Its all my fault."

Before the kids could convincer her otherwise, she turned around and started briskly walking away. Ziggy was about to go after her, but Pixel stopped him.

"Its ok Zig." Pixel told him. "Just let her go. She'll have to get over this in her own way over time. But she'll see them again one day. I'm sure of it."

Ziggy slowly nodded in agreement.

A few days later, Trixie told them that while she had been walking by the mayor's house earlier, she heard through an open window what the mayor was saying to Miss Busybody. He was crying and saying similar things as Stephanie's mom. About it being his fault and that he should have done something like the angel said. Miss Busybody held him and tried to console him best she could, but Trixie could tell the mayor still blamed himself.

One night later, the kids decided to go to their tree house and stay up late telling jokes since it was the weekend. When they got there, sitting at the foot of the tree, was none other than Robbie Rotten. His knees were up against his chest, and as they got closer, it became clear that even he had been crying. At first the boys stopped and stood in uncomfortable silence, not really knowing what to do, but then Trixie confidently walked right up to Robbie and kneeled down to hug him. Amazingly, he didn't push her off, but returned the hug. Feeling a bit ashamed of themselves, the three boys walked over and they too hugged Robbie.

"Thank you kids." Robbie said in a quiet voice that none of them had heard before.

"I guess I have a lot in common with Scrooge. Neither of us could bear the weight of our conscience. All those years I worked to push you kids and Sportacus away, I now know I was really just wanting to do whatever I could to be around you all. Every time I put on a disguise, it was more to fool myself about my intentions than to fool anyone else. And now that Sportacus and that pink tornado are gone, I'm so lonely."

"You're not alone Mr. Rotten." said Trixie. "You're always welcome to play with us. We don't have an adult anymore to hang out with us and teach us things, so you could take Sportacus's place."

Robbie smiled. "There was a time when I would rather have died than permanently take up Sportaspaz's place. But now, I think nothing would make me happier."

Trixie hugged him again.

"I do hope though, that I will be allowed to see them again. It was my fault that Sportacus and sir-pinks-a-lot had to leave. I could have done so much, now that I think about it, to help. But the angel was right. I let my pride rule me."

Then Stingy spoke up. "Well, you heard what he said, so long as you're a good person and do good things, and love someone, you'll see them again."

"Yeah, that's right." replied Pixel. "We'll have to work on the first two with you, but that last one might be harder. Is there anyone you love Mr. Rotten?"

Robbie was silent for a time, lost in thought. Then he spoke up. "I believe, the only people I can say that I actually do love, would be you kids. It just took me this long to see it for myself."

With that, Trixie fiercely hugged him once again, then the others jumped on board the Robbie attack hug as well. When they were done, all the kids used their sleeves to dry off Robbie's face, and then he bunched up his shirt and wiped off the tears on their faces. They all lay down on the green grass, and with the warm breeze blowing over them, and the white moonlight shining down, they soon fell asleep.

In the days and weeks that followed, Robbie Rotten performed a metamorphosis that, while not as quick as the grinch's own change of heart, was no less powerful in its fullness. Slowly, he became what Sportacus had been to the children. Teaching them, playing with them, laughing with them. And then he began to help the other towns people, just like Sportacus did. Pretty soon, it was almost like Sportacus never left. Robbie became a paramount of virtue and kindness. He never let anyone go hungry, never let anyone stay in pain or be sad. One day, someone spoke in passing that he should be called 'Robbie Right.' Peculiar how small statements like that can lead to large changes, because that is how Robbie was known for the rest of his life.

For Ziggy, that first year after Sportacus and Stephanie had left, passed by amazingly quickly. Trixie and Stingy began to see more of each other, apart from everyone else. A few other kids joined the established group. Robbie and the mayor both seemed able to forgive themselves. But although life was good, Ziggy still felt like he had lost something when Sportacus and Stephanie left. Something he had yet to regain, or even figure out what it was that he'd lost.

And then one night he had a dream. In the dream, Ziggy was standing in the woods beyond Lazytown. It was daytime, but cloudy. He walked for a while along no path, without knowing where he was going. Eventually he came to a small clearing with one respectably big tree in it; maple, he thought. He saw a mountain lion curled up sleeping in a large space between two of the maple's upraised roots. That area was clear of smaller trees and rocks, and looked as if it would be a very comfortable place to sit down and rest if he was tired. Then Ziggy heard the voice. He would never forget that voice as long as he lived.

**DO YOU KNOW WHY I HAVE BROUGHT YOU HERE?**

Ziggy looked around for where the angel was, but he didn't see him anywhere.

"No. Is it really you, great angel? Or is this just part of my dream? I don't normally know I'm in a dream until I've already woken up. But this time I'm sure I'm dreaming."

**YES. IT IS I, AND YES, YOU ARE IN A DREAM. I HAVE BROUGHT YOU HERE TO HELP YOU FIND WHAT YOU HAVE LOST.**

"You have? So I was right about myself. What is it then?"

**YOU SWORE AN OATH LONG AGO, TO GOD AND YOURSELF, TO PROTECT YOUR FRIENDS AGAINST ANY HARM THAT WOULD COME TO THEM, NO MATTER THE COST TO YOU. WHEN SPORTACUS AND STEPHANIE WERE MADE TO LEAVE, YOU FELT THAT IT WAS YOUR FAULT**, **THAT YOU HAD FAILED THEM. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ALSO TAKEN THE BLAME FOR WHAT HAPPENED, AS I KNEW THEY WOULD. BUT THEY HAVE ALL LEARNED TO FORGIVE THEMSELVES AND MOVE ON. ALL BUT YOU ZIGGY.**

**WHAT YOU HAVE LOST IS YOUR OWN HEART. YOU KEEP TELLING YOURSELF YOU DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, BUT YOUR HEART REFUSES TO LISTEN TO THE REST OF YOU. BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU FEEL THAT THE OATH YOU MADE HAS BECOME BROKEN AND VOID, BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO UPHOLD IT. GOD NEVER FORGETS SUCH SACRED VOWS, AND NEITHER MUST YOU.**

Ziggy then heard the snap of a twig and spun around. Standing not more than 4 feet away was Stephanie and Sportacus, holding hands. They looked exactly as they had when he last saw them, before they went to heaven. Both of them were smiling at him.

"Hello Ziggy." said Stephanie.

Without acknowledging her, Ziggy called out to the air, "Is it them, angel? I mean, I know I'm in a dream, but is it really them? No tricks or illusion on your part?" Ziggy didn't think the angel would have any reason to trick him, but he had to make sure.

**YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN MIND. THEIR BODIES ARE NOT REAL, BUT THEIR WORDS ARE THEIRS. WERE I ONE OF MY FALLEN BROTHERS I COULD LIE TO YOU NOW, BUT WERE THAT THE CASE, I COULD HAVE NEVER TAKEN THEM AWAY AS I DID. A DEMON COULD TRY TO IMPERSONATE ME, BUT THERE ARE SOMETHINGS GOD WON'T ALLOW, EVEN TO BE USED TO TEST MORTALS WITH. I AM TRUTH, AS ARE THEY.**

Hearing that, Ziggy smiled and ran to them. He tried to hug them both at once, but his short arms made it difficult. They hugged him in return, and Ziggy thought he would cry but managed to hold back the tears.

"Oh Sportacus and Stephanie, I'm so sorry for what happened! I know its probably very, very nice where you are, but I can't help but feel as if I took away your lives, or at least helped others to do it. If only I was a bit taller, and stronger and not so fat and shy and scared, I could maybe have given you time to get away, or think of something. I failed you both the one time you needed me, even after swearing to not let anything ever hurt you."

Sportacus puts his hands on Ziggy's shoulders. "Ziggy, you did everything possible. You did more than anyone else could have. And in the end, not even an army of hero's could have changed the eventual outcome. What happened was meant to, for better or worse. Neither of us blame you."

"That's right Ziggy." Stephanie said. "Where we are is the best place possible. We came back for this brief time because we both wanted to let you know that we love you. There's nothing to be forgiven Ziggy, so please forgive yourself."

Stephanie and Sportacus both hugged Ziggy again, then let go of him and stepped away. They held hands and smiled as they faded into the air.

Ziggy stood quiet and contemplative for several minutes. Then he spoke aloud. "Thank you angel."

The angel replied in authoritative tone.

**THERE IS ONE MORE STEP TO BE TAKEN IN HEALING YOU. YOU MUST RETAKE THE OATH YOU SWORE LONG AGO. THERE ARE STILL FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND OTHERS THAT YOU NEED TO HELP. BUT FROM NOW ON, YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR PROMISE. WHEN YOU WAKE, YOU WILL FIND THE TWO OBJECTS THAT SPORTACUS AND STEPHANIE HELP MOST DEAR TO THEM IN LIFE. FIND A METAL BOX AND PUT THEM IN IT. THEN BRING THE BOX TO THIS PLACE, UNDER THE TREE, AND BURY IT WHERE THE CREATURE YOU SEE SLEEPS. PLACE A ROCK FOR A TOMBSTONE, AND RETAKE YOUR OATH. ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY CHANGE IN THE SEASON, COME TO THIS PLACE IN THE EARLY EVENING AND STAY UNTIL DAWN TO GUARD YOUR FRIEND'S RESTING PLACE. DO NOT FALL ASLEEP AND DO NOT WANDER DURING YOUR VIGIL. AS TIME GOES ON, YOU MAY ADD OTHER OBJECTS TO THE BOX . YOU WILL KNOW WHAT AND WHEN TO DO SO. DO THIS ZIGGY, NOT ONLY TO SHOW GOD YOUR DEDICATION, BUT TO ALSO SHOW YOURSELF.**

The next thing Ziggy knew, he was awake. It wasn't quite dawn yet, but would be soon. He was very aware of how badly he had to use the bathroom. As he was walking back to his bed afterward, he saw something casting an unfamiliar shadow on his desk. He turned on the light and walked over to examine it. Laying on his desk was the SportaBarbie doll everyone had made for Stephanie for her tenth birthday. They all chipped in to by the doll, then each one added his or her own contribution to make it look more like Stephanie. Complete with pink hair, dress, purse, and tennis shoes, Ziggy had actually not seen Stephanie take it out to play with ever. But that was because he knew she kept it in a safe place on top of her shelves where it would never get hurt. And then he noticed the picture next to it. In it, Sportacus stood with Stephanie and the other four kids on the small dock of a lake. Everyone had towels wrapped around their wet bodies. It had been a hot summer day and they had spent nearly all of it in the water playing games.

Seeing the two items, Ziggy knew it had all been real. He went to the garage and found exactly the perfect box to keep them in. It was an old lock box his dad had bought for some important paperwork that he long ago stopped needing. Now it held nothing. It was easily large enough for the two items with plenty of room to spare for other stuff. He wrapped the photo and doll in a plastic bag and then used duct tape to seal the box and make it as water proof as possible. Then he put the whole thing into a bigger plastic bag.

Later that day after school, as soon as he came home he told his mom he was going out for a pre-dinner walk, and that he'd start on his homework as soon as he got back. Since it was exercise, she couldn't complain. He borrowed a spade from the garage, put it and the bag with the box into his backpack and made off for the forest. The walk to the woods isn't a great one, although that last bit is uphill getting to the tree line. Once he got there, he began walking along the path that the kids had made for walking and bicycle riding. He remembered the way the land looked from his dream, and using that he managed to eventually detour from the path and find the spot. It was exactly as it was in the dream, minus the mountain lion (thank god).

So Ziggy got to digging, and within an 25 minutes of hard work he had the box safely buried about 6 inches below ground. Being right below the tree, he was sure erosion of the soil would be negligible. Then he found a rock which was generally round, free of dirt, and also happened to have a lot of pink in it. Nestling it right underneath the tree, he stepped back to examine his work. Knowing that Stephanie and Sportacus never had a proper funeral, he bowed his head and gave a small prayer and retook his oath to protect those he cared for. Then he packed up his spade and marched off back home.


	8. Chapter 8

EPILOGUE PART TWO

The years came and went for Ziggy. Stingy and Trixie became more and more serious. Then in their senior year, Stingy asked her to marry him. Since he was to start working at his father's bank immediately after graduation, he told her that money wouldn't be an issue. And since she planned on going to the local college for her teacher's degree, she could commute from Lazytown. Trixie, being incredibly impulsive all her life, saw no reason why she should stop now, and so said yes. They got married the day after their graduation in the most fancy ceremony Ziggy had ever seen. Pixel was the best man and Ziggy got to be coordinator of seating. He was pretty sure that was a made up title, but he took his job seriously. Trixie told Ziggy in confidence that the wedding day was just a little bit sad for her, because she had always assumed that it would be Stephanie who would be her maid of honor. Instead it was some other girl she knew from school. Their parents both pitched in to get them a nice honeymoon trip wherever they wanted. When both of them asked for Iceland, the parents were puzzled, but kept to their word.

Pixel went off to college for an electrical engineering/computer science degree. Ziggy, being told he was a not too shabby chef, especially with pastries, got a loan and opened up his own bakery in Lazytown. It should be noted that his was probably the only bakery where every purchase of $3 or more came with your choice of a free piece of sports candy, which he always kept plenty of in stock.

After four years, Pixel returned from college and opened up his own computer repair and video game dream store. A year later, Stingy and Trixie had the first of their two children. Robbie got to be the godfather. 'I'm good with kids, not babies!' he bemoaned, but when he thought he wasn't be watched, he played with the newborn more than anyone else.

All the while, Ziggy never forgot or faltered in his promise to protect his friends as best he could, and to spend the first Saturday night of each season with his friends that had gone away. The first night he stayed up there, he told his parents he was going camping. It was a cool, but not a cold night, and so the only problem was in staying awake. He brought some coffee, tea, coke and candy to help him with this as well as books and comics. Each time he stayed for the Sunday dawn, it got a little it easier. Eventually, he could stay up all night using nothing more than his willpower. As he got older, he found he didn't even really need to bring anything to read. He enjoyed the silence of the woods. It gave him time to remember his friends and the good times he had with them, as well as to contemplate on things currently going on in his life.

Ziggy never did get married. Pixel had a few girlfriends over time, but told people that electronics and good friends were all the social life he needed. Ziggy himself had a girlfriend once. She was a chef in training and wanted to work at his store for a year, to see if she liked it before she went on to school for it. He liked her and she said she liked him, but she wanted to do other things than cook bakery goods, and so when the time came she went off to school. Ziggy was sad to see her go, but endorsed and encouraged it. The last thing he wanted on his conscience was to think he held her back. True to her word, she wrote him letters throughout her life at the academy of cooking, but her final letter while she was in school informed him she was going to a big city to open up her own restaurant. He wrote her back about how proud he was of her and that he wished her the best of luck, but that he was needed in Lazytown and couldn't come join her. After that, the letters became shorter and much more infrequent, until one day, after months and months, he realized she wouldn't be writing anymore. 'She's most likely found someone else by now. That's good. That's for the best.' Ziggy thought. He really was happy for her. His days were never lonely with all the friends and family and townsfolk he knew here in Lazytown.

Several years later, Mayor Meanswell died of a heart attack. It was a sad affair for the whole town. He had been the mayor for as long as anyone could remember. Ziggy was very sad. Days after the funeral, he helped Miss Busybody organize some of the mayor's belongings in his office to be packaged up. He saw the 'Best Mayor' award that Milford Meanswell had won a long time ago from his first term in office. After that, since there was only ever one mayor at a time, it was decided the award was pretty pointless, so the town decided to stop issuing it. Nevertheless, the mayor kept it in his display cabinet as one of his favorite honoraries. Ziggy knew right then that it should belong in the box. He felt bad for taking it, then telling Miss Busybody that he thought it had already been packaged up for storage when she asked about it later. But something in his heart told him, that since the mayor was a special person for him, it belonged with other specials, not in some cardboard box to be forgotten in an attic forever.

The next time Ziggy was to stay the night, he took the award with him. He dug up the box, found to his delight that no water had entered it, and carefully placed the award in with the other two items. Then he redid all the preparations and put it back in the ground. That night, a storm blew in. Quickly the wind was howling through the trees and the rain managed to penetrate even the relatively dense canopy in the forest. For the first time, Ziggy seriously contemplated leaving his post. He had not expected a storm at all that evening, and was thus completely unprepared to weather it. He was cold, wet, and frightened. The only good thing was that the storm's noise pushed sleep away completely. After lightning struck a tree within sight of Ziggy, he thought for sure he would go. But then he remembered the angel's words. He remembered why he did this, and who was buried below the tree he was huddled against. Keeping those thoughts in his head, he stayed until he saw a grey dawn.

In time, other people he knew around the town passed away: Miss Busybody, Ziggy's mom, Pixel's dad. It wasn't until Robbie died that Ziggy really got depressed. He was so sad he couldn't even go to the funeral. He closed up his shop for the time being and just stayed in his room behind the bakery for many days. After Ziggy was tired of being sad, he thought back to all the happy times he had with Robbie. Then, remembering something, he got up and went to Robbie's lair. After many hours digging through junk from his old days as a villain, he finally found what he was looking for. It was a near fossilized piece of the first slice of cake Robbie had ever eaten. It was kept in a small, vacuum sealed box. Ziggy took it home with him and then buried it in his box the next time he went to the woods. That night was bitterly cold. Ziggy thought he was prepared, but when it started to snow, he once again wondered if he could survive a night like this. He tried to get a fire going using the skills he remembered from Robbie's 'Active Scouts' training, but the wood would not catch. Ziggy, dreamed of how warm his home would be right now, and how nice a hot cup of chocolate would taste. But once again he kept his promise close to his heart and stayed with his friends.

Many, many years later, Pixel had an accident in his shop involving some invention he had been working on. The doctors told everyone that he had suffered a large electrical surge throughout his body and had died almost instantly. Although Pixel was not known quite so well as Mayor Meanswell or Robbie had been, Pixel's death hit much closer to home with Stingy, Trixie, and Ziggy. They went to the tree house and spent all day in it just sitting and talking. Trixie had a friend watch her children, which gave them the time they needed to work through their grief. After talking it over with the other two, Ziggy concluded what Pixel's most prize possession was. He went to Pixel's house, which he still had a key to, and with great care not to disturb anything else, found the purple crystal that Pixel had made with his first chemistry set.

Ziggy took the crystal up to the tree when it was time again, and since it was a warm summer night, with not a cloud in the sky, he thought he would be fine. After he had put the crystal in the box and made a small fire for his dinner, he heard a sound out in the darkness. It sounded like something was moving through the underbrush. Moments later, he heard a low huff, and a sniff. Having no vast experience with wild animals, he couldn't be sure about it, but Ziggy had seen enough nature shows to make a good guess that a bear was out there. And judging by the fact that he could hear it sniffing, it had to be very close to the edge of the fire light. Ziggy froze as still as he had ever been in his life. He followed the breaking of twigs and parting of brush, until sure enough the nuzzle of a large black bear came into the light. Although it didn't look particularly viscous or angry, Ziggy didn't want it to get that way and so threw one of his hot dogs at it. The bear walked up and sniffed the piece of meat, then gobbled it up in one bite. Apparently liking the taste, it came toward Ziggy mouth open as if wanting more. Ziggy hastily complied, throwing him all the food he had brought with him for the night. The bear ate all of it and still came closer. Ziggy backed up until his back was pressed against the maple.

"Go away! I don't have anything else."

The bear came within 4 feet of Ziggy and made an unthreatening sound, but definitely one that fell under the 'roar' category. Apparently it didn't believe Ziggy had nothing else good to offer.

"Please! Go away! Pleaseeeee!!!" Ziggy now started to cry. He had never gotten over his fear of wild creatures and animals. He never even went to the museum because he didn't trust those dinosaur skeletons to stay dead.

Ziggy's crying somehow upset the bear because now it definitely growled and not in a friendly way. It started to close the distance with Ziggy when out of nowhere a giant mountain lion slammed into the bear and knocked it aside. The two woodland titans tumbled and rolled around in a mass of fur. Ziggy's mind almost snapped with fear but a part of him realized this was an excellent opportunity to run, and so he did. He got almost to the edge of the woods when he stopped to catch his breath. As he crouched down low, panting, Ziggy once again remembered what the angel had told him. Ziggy didn't want to break his promise to God or the angel or himself, or his friends. But he was still very scared. After wrestling with his willpower, he at last made himself turn back to the tree and carefully start walking back. As quietly as he could, he approached his camp. When he got there, he could see no sign of the bear, but the mountain lion was licking itself on the other side. It stopped to look at him, yawned once to display its great maw of teeth, then lazily strode off back into the night. Ziggy walked back to his fire and sat down. He stayed on his guard the rest of the night, but nothing else broke the sound of the crickets and owls.

When Ziggy was in his mid sixties, Trixie called him to let him know that Stingy was in the hospital for ulcers. All those years working at a bank hadn't been good for his stress level, and now his stomach was in bad shape, the doctors all said. A few operations later and Stingy was home again, but apparently the damage was not entirely repairable. Within a year of the surgeries he died of internal bleeding. Trixie was devastated. Ziggy stayed with her and her kids, whom themselves had children of their own, for weeks. In time, when Trixie told him she would be fine by herself, he nodded and asked her if she could do him a favor. Without giving away anything she wanted to keep for herself, Ziggy asked for something that was special to Stingy that he could keep it as a memorial to his good friend. Trixie was glad to help and gave him the old red piggy he had when he was a child. At first Ziggy thought it was too special and that Trixie would want to keep it for herself, but she insisted, saying with a laugh, 'The last thing I want to remember about Stingy was his greed.'

When the night came for him to stay in the woods again, and to bury the piggy, he found himself sick with a cold or maybe even the flu. Being as old as he was, enduring a night while sick, even in the moderate warmth, was daunting. He brought plenty of liquid and soup and blankets with him, and since he hadn't seen any bears or a mountain lion ever since that one night, he didn't worry about them. But even still, that night was very hard on Ziggy. He shivered in his blankets. His fever increased and no matter how much he built the fire up or hot soup he ate, he couldn't seem to get warm. As the night wore on, he lay against the tree and started to have visions. Pieces of his life came and went. Bits of old conversations flashed into memory. Father Allen's sneering face as he walked to Stephanie and Sportacus to destroy them, bubbled up. Then he saw Stephanie's dad, and soon he began having waking nightmares of him trying to kill Ziggy. His shivering got so bad he thought he would shake his brain apart; his fever so high that his skin would melt.

Ziggy struggled to stay awake and not fall asleep. It was all he could do to keep a clear image in his mind without it becoming distorted. After what seemed like an eternity, the morning sun broke over the horizon. Ziggy was still very sick but his fever had gone down some, so he slowly got up and made his way back home.

About 6 more years had passed when Ziggy found out Trixie had cancer. He took her to the hospital and stuck with her throughout her chemo and other treatments. Together they fought it and within a year she was in remission. Three more years passed by until Trixie had a relapse. Her children, grandchildren, and Ziggy all took turns staying with her in the hospital. This time around, the cancer was proving much more malicious and difficult. The doctors tried to give everyone hope, but when pressed, they said that she had minimal odds at beating it this time. Four more months passed by. Because everyone else had busy schedules and Ziggy was retired now, he became the main person who stayed with Trixie and was with her almost the entire time she was in the hospital. Late one night, Trixie woke up Ziggy when she squeezed the hand of his she was holding. Not meaning to, he had nodded off while reading a magazine.

"What's wrong Trix?" Ziggy asked "Should I turn on the light?"

"No, no." said Trixie in the darkness which was mellowed only by the half-moon shining through the window. "I just was in pain again, and I feel so weak all of a sudden."

Ziggy stood up, "I'll go get a nurse and we'll get you back to sleep, don't worry."

"No!", she said weakly. "They would only give me the same stuff as normal. And maybe something to knock me out, but Ziggy, I feel very weak. I don't think anything they give me or do for me will change that."

Ziggy stared intently at her face, trying to make out her features as she spoke.

"Ziggy, I think I'm dying. I don't think I'll make it through the night, if even the hour."

He leaned down to her bed and took hold of her hand. Once again, without knowing how he knew it, Ziggy was pretty sure she was right. Although he couldn't tell if she was crying, Ziggy could feel his eyes beginning to fill.

"But Trix, if you're sure you're dying, we should call for help, maybe they can stop it?"

"Oh Ziggy, I know you're trying to help, but listen to me, if we call them, they'll come in here, check some machines, give me some injections, maybe do something drastic and take me in for some kind of emergency surgery. Whatever they do, I'll still die, except that I'll die in either pain or unconscious. And Ziggy, I don't want to go in either of those states."

Now Ziggy was crying for real, the first few tears had managed to escape his efforts and were rolling down his old face. "But Trix, you mean you just want to lay here and die? Without doing anything? You want to die here?"

Trixie smiled in the darkness. "You have hit it exactly Ziggy, I don't want to die here. I want to feel the wind on my skin and, and…." She paused for a second. "Ziggy, do you know what I would like most of all to do before I go. I would like to watch a sunrise one more time. I haven't seen one that I could just sit and enjoy in so long. So please, my old friend, will you do me one last favor?"

The tears were streaming from his eyes. He had been sad whenever anyone he was close to left, but Trixie was the last real friend or family he had. Everyone else had died or gone away, so her dying was hitting him harder than anyone else's had. "Anything Trixie, Anything at all."

"Could you unplug me from these infernal machines, pick me up since I can't walk anymore, and take me outside to watch the sunrise? It should be here in a few hours and I think I can hold out until then. Keep in mind, if you do this, it will be problematic for you. They'll accuse you of helping me die. If you have them talk to my daughter Penny, who's a lawyer, she can tell people that I had told her I did not want to die in a hospital. Hopefully that will keep you clear."

"Trixie, I don't care what they do to me. I'm far too old to give a dam about going to jail if it means I could help my one last best friend."

With that, Ziggy immediately leaned over to gently take out all the probes and IVs that were in her. Then he leaned down and scooped her up in his arms. He wasn't very strong now that he was so old, but Trixie weighed almost nothing due to the treatments. It was the easiest thing to carry her to the window and gently lower her down onto the ground outside. Then her stepped through and picked her up again. Ziggy took her to the other side of the hospital which had a green lawn that sloped down and faced the east. He sat down carefully, placing her in his lap, and propped her head against his chest so she could watch the coming sunrise. Although he tried to hide it, always trying to show he was strong to his friends, Ziggy could not stop the continuous flow of tears even once.

"Ziggy, don't be so sad. I'm actually looking forward to it. I love my children and grandchildren very much, but I have also missed Stingy these past few years. And you know what, I still think about Sportacus and Stephanie and that day. Do you remember the day they left Ziggy?"

"I remember it better than any other memory I have of anything Trixie."

"So do I. Do you think I've been good enough to see them when I go, like the angel said we should be?"

Ziggy laughed despite his grief, "Trixie, you are the most wonderful, kindest, loving person I've ever known. If you can't get in, then heaven must be a very lonely place."

Trixie smiled. "Thank you for thinking so. Its funny, because that's how I've always felt about you. I think most of us did from the old group."

After that, they were silent for a long time. Very slowly the sky began to turn from black to purple to grey. Then the first rays of the sun peeked over the edge of the land and illuminated everything in pink.

"I get to see sunrises often Trixie, but they're beautiful all over again every time."

"Yes." Trixie said very softly. "Possibly the most beautiful thing ever."

They stared at the illuminated sky for about 10 minutes before Ziggy felt her relax in his arms. He turned to look at her face; she had closed her eyes. Her breathing had stopped and her limbs very slowly started to stiffen.

All of a sudden his mind went numb with grief.

"Trixie!" he pleaded while drenching her hair with his tears. "Please don't leave me! You're all I have left! I don't have anyone else to protect or love or care for or think of after you. I'll be so lonely. Oh God, I miss you already."

That was exactly the way in which the hospital people found him an hour later. Rocking Trixie in his arms and crying in her soft silver hair. Trixie had been right about them trying to charge him with assisting in her death. Despite the fact that the doctors themselves said there was virtually nothing they could have done for her at this point, Ziggy was still brought up on charges. When asked who he wanted to call, he said no one. He truly didn't care what they did to him. If he himself died right then he wouldn't mind. After Trixie's daughter Penny had been informed her mother had passed away, and the circumstances surrounding it, she had Ziggy cleared of everything. She thanked him for being there to help her mom go out the way she wanted to.

Ziggy accepted her gratitude and they consoled each other for a brief while before Ziggy went back home. The next day the funeral was held. Ziggy attended, but he was quiet and in a trance like state the whole time. When he got home, he went to his room and opened a drawer. Inside was a picture that Trixie's children had drawn in crayons of their mom in various sports gear. She was always trying to get them to play and try different sports when they were little, just like Sportacus and Robbie had for her when she was growing up. Trixie had given it to him when she went back into the hospital for cancer the second time. She told him she knew he was collecting keepsakes of people's treasures and she wanted him to have her's, so he could remember her how her kids loved to see her: as Sportamommy.

Looking at it made Ziggy start to weep again, but he defiantly wiped away the fresh tears and prepared to go up to the tree to place the picture in the box. Two days later, it was the first Saturday of summer. He walked up to the maple tree and gently placed Trixie's picture with the other items, then got comfortable against the tree and waited. Ziggy wondered what would assail him this time. He had noticed by now that every time he opened the box, that night was especially hard for him. For once he did nothing to prepare, but instead was looking forward to whatever it was would come for him. He would not fight it this time. Ziggy would welcome death with open arms and a smile on his face.

However, it became clear as the night wore on, that neither weather, nor nature, nor illness would try and take him that night. Indeed, it turned out to be one of the nicest evenings he had ever spent there. The breeze was warm, there was honeysuckle in the air, and the only sound was the soothing noise of the crickets making their night music.

But for Ziggy, all that made it the hardest one of them all. For he had no intention of surviving that night. And if God and nature deemed not to provide the means to his ends, well, that's one thing he HAD prepared for. Opening his backpack, he took out a bottle of water and a sandwich bag that contained about 10 red pills. He wasn't sure how many were needed to kill you, so Ziggy brought as many sleeping pills as he had, knowing they'd be enough if he took them all. Once he had them out on his lap, Ziggy heard the smallest of movements across the fire. Looking over, he saw a mountain lion walking toward him. It was unlikely the same one he saw long ago, but it was similar enough that it could be related possibly. He didn't know and really didn't care.

"Ahh, come to finish the job for me?" he said. "Well then I thank you greatly. I don't know if I could have actually gone through with it, if left entirely to me."

The giant cat padded over to where Ziggy sat, but instead of proceeding to tear him to bits, it sat down on its haunches right beside him and simply stared at Ziggy.

"What? You don't think I'd taste good? Well I can't help it if I've gotten old and scrawny. I can't eat like I used to. But I'm sure there are parts of me that you'll still find appetizing."

Ziggy batted at the cat, then swiped at it, then outright hit it in the nose. Each time the cat just dodged or took it. Ziggy wasn't terribly strong, and so couldn't really hurt it. After a few more solid jabs to the cat's face, the beast laid its massive head in Ziggy's lap and closed its eyes. For all he could tell, it was going to go to sleep.

"Stupid, stupid animal!" Ziggy shouted. "Can't you do the one thing you were made to do? Please just kill me. Just end my life! You don't even have to eat me if you don't want to, just kill me so I don't have to kill myself. Because I can't do it, you understand? I can't go on. I'm too lonely. I've always had someone to be with or care for or think about or look forward to seeing. But now I have no one. I'm all alone and I can't take it."

The creature opened its large yellow eyes and looked at him imploringly, as if it was asking him something but he didn't know what.

"Bah! Fine then, I'll do it the hard way. I should have known I wouldn't get an easy out. Story of my life."

Ziggy picked up the bottle of water and bag of pills. For a long time he looked at them and pondered his life, all while the cat looked at him. Ziggy remembered all the people he knew and good times he had. All the advice Sportacus had given him and hugs he got from Stephanie. Finally he came to the memory of the day they left, and he remembered what the angel had said, about what was needed to see them again. He didn't think taking his life would be enough to keep him out of heaven, but he didn't know if he would be allowed to see all his friends and family if he did go out like this either. Then he gathered up his courage and poured the sleeping pills into his hand. He opened the bottle of water, and prepared to swallow them.

Even as he was trying to make his hand come up to his mouth, he kept seeing Stephanie's big, bright smile. It was the only thing he would ever say was more beautiful than a sunrise. He wanted to see it again; yearned to see it again with all his heart and soul. That was partly why he wanted to die, but a part of his mind was screaming at him to not risk ever seeing it again because he was too weak to live until he naturally died. Frustrated with the choices life gave him, he balled up the pills in his fist and threw them out into the night as hard as he could. The open bottle of water fell to the ground and Ziggy buried his face in the cat's warm fur and cried. He cried so long and hard that when he finally came away, the animal's fur was wet all along its side. But it didn't seem to mind. Instead it began licking Ziggy's face dry, and when Ziggy was clean and quiet and seemed not to be in danger anymore, the big cat got up and walked away.

Ziggy was drained mentally, physically, and most of all emotionally. He just sat against the tree and existed. Then he saw the big cat come back into the light, and behind it, were three kittens. They were large enough to walk but not likely more than a month old. The cat sat down in the middle of the light and laid on its side so that the cubs could all drink from her milk. As Ziggy sat there watching her feed her babies, he began to realize what it was the animal might be trying to tell him. There were many people in Lazytown who he still knew and were alive. They were all smaller friends, or neighbors, or acquaintances from here and there. Some had children that had no one to help them with growing up, beyond their parents. Ziggy was far too old to become the new Lazytown hero, but he could at least do everything he could until he died. He could help people in whatever capacity he was able to. Life kept going on, even when things died. If his parents and grandparents and other adults had acted like he was when they were growing up, he might not have had as near a pleasant childhood as he had. He might not have even been born.

Ziggy watched the mommy mountain lion finish feeding her cubs, then watched as it got up and walked away.

"I don't know if the angel sent you or if you're just a very smart kitty, but thank you. Thank you for saving me."

The cat turned to him one last time with its golden ember eyes, then walked off with its litter. Ziggy never saw it again.

As time went on, Ziggy saw and helped Lazytown grow into Lazycity. As a city representative, he managed to make the woods with his tree turned into a nature preserve for the residents of Lazycity to enjoy. He helped out kids whenever and in whatever way he could. Sometimes they appreciated the advice and assistance, sometimes not. Regardless, he never let anything depress him or get him down. Whenever he did feel the darkness closing around his soul, he just reminded himself that no one lives forever, and what to look forward to when he did leave this world.

Many, many years later, when Ziggy was 87 years old, it once again came the time for him to spend the night with his gone away friends. It had gotten to the point that he had to make himself walk everyday just so that when he did have to make his journey into the woods, he was able to do so. Even still, he now had to wake up early Saturday morning and spend nearly all day walking and resting, in getting to the tree before nightfall. And when he got there, it became harder and harder for him not to fall asleep.

Tonight was the first Saturday of spring, and he could feel a cold front bringing some rain with it approaching. He had brought warm clothes and a slicker, as well as food and drink and a small digital music player to help keep him awake. By the time he got there, he had just enough time to set up camp before the rain came. The temperature also dropped. It had been much colder on nights before, and the rain had come down harder too, but for some reason, no mater what Ziggy did, he couldn't seem to warm up. He ate his food, did some light exercises, listened to music while he walked around the camp fire. But when he sat back down against the tree to rest, he felt as cold as he had when he started.

The rain steadily came down, and Ziggy tried as best he could to keep it from entering his slicker, but inevitably some did. The fire began to die down, and Ziggy wanted to get up to feed it some more, but he just couldn't seem to make his cold legs move. Soon the fire went out completely, and then the music which had been playing also stopped; waiting to be started up again with a button. But Ziggy could not move. At first he thought he was just lazy, but now that he had stayed still for so long, the cold had seeped into his very bones. His limbs were numb and he couldn't feel or move them at all. It seemed that even though it wasn't the coldest it had ever been, it was enough that his old, tired body couldn't fight it anymore.

There was no moon that night, and the stars were hidden behind the veil of clouds, which put Ziggy in almost utter darkness. As he lay against the tree, he could feel himself getting more and more sleepy. This time though, he didn't think he would be able to fight it off for very much longer. He knew that when the cold eventually took over and forced him to close his eyes, he would not open them up ever again.

And then, the darkness around the tree started to lessen. The light level grew and grew until Ziggy could clearly see the ground and rocks and leaves all around him. Suddenly, in the midst of the light, a form coalesced. It shined brightly, but not so much as it had he last time he had seen it.

"Great angel." Ziggy said in a breathy soft voice. "You, you look as magnificent as when I last saw you, so long ago. You haven't changed a bit. I'm sorry I cannot present a more appealing sight in return. I've grown so old and wrinkled since then. I must be hideous."

**I SEE YOU FOR WHAT YOU TRULY ARE, NOT FOR WHAT YOU APPEAR TO BE.**

Ziggy nodded. "Yes, I thought you might say something wonderfully poetic like that. You always do. But why have you come to me? All these years I could have used your guidance and assistance, or even just a friend. Many times I thought I would not make it, either here or back home. Why have you come now?"

**BECAUSE YOU ARE DYING.**

"Ziggy coughed. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry I can't keep my promise anymore, but I'm just too cold angel, so very, very cold. I can't fight it any longer."

**THAT IS WHY I HAVE COME. ALL THOSE YEARS AND ALL THOSE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS YOU WERE PUT THROUGH WERE TESTS. AND YOU HAVE ENDURED THEM ALL. IN THAT WAY, YOU ARE AS BRAVE AND STRONG AS ANY KNIGHT OR WARRIOR EVER WAS. AND NOW THAT YOUR HOUR HAS COME, I AM ALLOWED TO BE THE ONE TO BRING YOU TO THEM.**

"Them?"

**ALL YOUR FRIENDS THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU. LOOK AND SEE ZIGGY, THEY'RE ALL WAITING FOR YOU.**

The angel stretched out its hand to one side, and in the air under it, an image formed. He saw a field of green under a white sky. Standing in the field, Ziggy could see Sportacus and Stephanie, Trixie and Stingy, Pixel and Robbie, Mayor Meanswell and Miss Busybody. Behind them were others; family members and friends he had known. All of them were smiling and looking down at him. Each one had an arm out with an open hand extended, inviting Ziggy to come join them.

**YOU SEE ZIGGY! NOW AT THE END YOU SEE! ALL YOUR LIFE YOU THOUGHT IT WAS YOU THAT TOOK AND BENEFITED FROM OTHERS. THAT IS WHY YOU FELT THE NEED TO TAKE AN OATH TO HELP THEM, SO YOU WOULDN'T FEEL SO GUILTY. BUT NOW YOU SEE IT WAS REALLY YOU ALL ALONG THAT WAS THE BEST OF THEM, THE STRONGEST! IT WAS YOU WHO HELPED THEM BY SHINING THE LIGHT OF YOUR SOUL SO THEY COUD SEE WITH IT AND LIVE IN IT. YOU WERE THE HERO TO THEM.**

Ziggy thought he was too old and cold and dried up to shed any more tears, but sure enough his eyes brimmed and rained down hot drops of joy onto his cheeks.

"Oh angel, I do see now. I do."

Then the angel reached out with his other arm and took hold of Ziggy's hand. Ziggy felt the warmth of the angel's hand, though he could feel nothing else in his whole body. Slowly, as Ziggy's heart came to a stop, and the last bit of warmth his mind contained went out, Ziggy could still feel the angel's hand. And when his heart finally beat its last, the angel pulled, and Ziggy came away from his body. Hand in hand with the angel, he stepped into the picture, and his light ran ahead to be with all the others who had gone before him. All his friends who had waited for him, embraced him. And the angel noticed that of all the souls, Ziggy's shined brightest of them all.

Back on Earth, the rain stopped and Sunday dawn came. Slowly, a mountain lion walked into the small clearing where Ziggy and the maple tree were. It sat on its haunches and waited for the others to come. One by one, other woodland creatures came up to Ziggy. And when they were all there, the angel appeared once more.

**BACK WHERE THE HUMANS LIVE, WHERE THIS ONE CAME FROM, THEY WILL DECLARE HIM MISSING WHEN HE IS NOT HEARD FROM. AFTER A WHILE THEY WILL THEN DECLAE HIM DEAD. HE WILL HAVE NO FUNERAL AND HIS HOUSE AND ALL HIS BELONGINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE BANK. WITHIN A WEEK, NO ONE WILL HARDLY EVER THINK ABOUT HIM. WITHIN A YEAR, NO ONE WILL EVEN REMEMBER HIM EXCEPT AS A FOOTNOTE IN HISTORICAL LISTINGS AND TAX REPORTS. WITHIN A GNERATION, THE WORLD WILL HAVE FORGOTTEN HE EVER EXSISTED. BUT GOD NEVER FORGETS. AND SO LET US NOW GIVE HIM A FUNERAL, BECAUSE HERE LIES A SAINT, EQUAL IN FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE TO ANY OTHER.**

The animals then got straight to work. The mountain lion dragged Ziggy's body away with its strong jaws, careful not to damage it. Then the badgers came up to where he had been, and moved aside the pink rock that served as a tombstone. They dug and dug until the box in its plastic bag was free of dirt. Then the lion and pulled it out of the ground and laid it aside. It managed to tear the plastic off the box, but the mice had to come and chew through the duct tape sealing it. When that was done, a crow pressed the latch button while some squirrels opened the lid. Then the badgers made the hole even bigger, until it was big enough. The mountain lion picked up the old man again, and gently laid him into the grave. A fox arranged Ziggy's hands until the were crossed over his chest. Then the squirrels picked up each item in the box and placed them around Ziggy's body. When they were done, they backed away, and the angel moved down to place a small blue shirt with a big red 'Z' on it over Ziggy's chest. The angel moved back to let the badgers put the dirt back on top of it all. Then the cat walked over the area to pat it down. After that, various birds landed on the spot and dropped seeds they had been carrying in their beaks. They scratched the ground as they dropped the seeds so that they had a bit of topsoil above them. Finally, the badgers moved the pink stone back in its place. Then all the animals stood back and looked at the work they had done and fell still and silent for several minuets. Slowly, they began to wander back off into the woods. The last to leave was the mountain lion. Then the angel bowed once before the grave, and faded into the morning air.

Lazytown did indeed grow and become a city in its own right. New generations of children with their heroes and villains emerged, but these new generations had one thing that previous ones didn't. They had a special place they could go whenever they were sad and wanted to be alone, or needed cheering up, or even if they just wanted a place where they could play and no one would disturb them. It was the smallest of children that discovered it, but soon all the children knew of the special place. For some reason, you could only find it if someone had showed you where it was, and so the kids never showed anyone they didn't trust to keep it a safe and magical place. To get there, you left the city, went up to where the walking path started in the city nature park and continued until you came to a sharp curve. Instead of following the path left, you walked straight up a hill, over a small creek, and across some towering oaks. And then you would see a maple tree standing by itself in a small clearing. Right below the tree, nestled between two of its giant roots that had surfaced the ground at a right angle to each other, was a bed of flowers around a pink stone. There were purple ones, and blue ones, and red ones, and white ones, and pink ones. But the biggest of them were the large yellow ones. And these flowers were always in bloom. No matter how hot or cold or wet or dry it got, nor how hard the wind blew or deep the snow, they always stood there alive with color and smell. Kids came there whenever they needed or wanted to be there. And far up in heaven, looking down on the children, Sportacus, Stephanie, Pixel, Stingy, Trixie, and Ziggy would watch and smile. Then they would go back to be with God and all the angels, where they would laugh, and sing, and dance, and play. Forever, and ever, and ever.

The End

AUTHOR - I hope you enjoyed the story and I'm sorry if it came out a bit too sad for some people. Please don't feel the need to post a review if you don't want to. As stated above, I just needed to write this for myself if nothing else. But if you did like it a lot and wish to then by all means let me know. Here are some things to know for those who are curious.

For those that might wonder, the 'unthinkable deed' that Mr. Jenkins mentions about what Sportacus and Stephanie might do is suicide

The way Sportacus got Stephanie from her parent's hotel room was by using Ziggy to simply distract them and make noise while he got her out of the window in their bedroom.

The bible chapter used that Ziggy read was 1st Corinthians: Chapter 13.


End file.
